US names Pakistan, Saudi Arabia among buyers in new American air-to-air missile deal

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16 fighter jet performs during the Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad, Pakistan, on March 23, 2022. (REUTERS/File)
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Updated 07 October 2025
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US names Pakistan, Saudi Arabia among buyers in new American air-to-air missile deal

  • Department of War lists both nations in $41.7 million Raytheon contract for fighter-jet missiles
  • Separate $24 million award covers communications upgrades on Saudi F-15 aircraft

ISLAMABAD: The US Department of War has named Pakistan and Saudi Arabia among countries included in a new contract for the supply of US-made air-to-air missiles, while separately approving a deal to improve communications systems on Saudi fighter jets, according to an official statement released on its website.

In its Sept. 30 bulletin, the Department of War said it had awarded Raytheon Missiles & Defense a $41.68 million modification “to provide production support for the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile,” a weapon designed to enable fighter aircraft to destroy enemy planes at long range.

The same announcement listed a wide range of US allies and partners receiving the system through the Foreign Military Sales program.

“This contract involves foreign military sales to United Kingdom, Poland, Pakistan, Germany, Finland, Australia, Romania, Qatar, Oman, Korea, Greece, Switzerland, Portugal, Singapore, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Japan, Slovakia, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Norway, Spain, Kuwait, Finland, Sweden, Taiwan, Lithuania, Israel, Bulgaria, Hungary and Turkiye,” the Department of War statement read.

The release did not specify how many missiles each country would receive or when deliveries would begin, details that are typically disclosed later through government-to-government filings.

The contract funds ongoing production of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which is used by more than 40 countries. Pakistan employs the system on its F-16 fighter jets, while Saudi Arabia operates it on F-15 aircraft.

Pakistan’s defense ministry had not issued any public comment on the latest contract listings as of Tuesday.

In a separate notice, the Department of War announced a $24.17 million contract for technical support to upgrade Link-16, a secure tactical data network that enables Saudi F-15 pilots and command centers to share real-time information on targets and threats. The work will be carried out in Saudi Arabia and continue through March 2031, the department said.

Both awards reflect Washington’s continuing defense cooperation with partners in the Middle East and South Asia. While Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are regularly listed in such multi-nation programs, the Department of War rarely releases individual country breakdowns in initial contract statements.

The Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile has been a cornerstone of US and allied air defense for over three decades, capable of striking airborne targets at ranges exceeding 30 kilometers depending on the variant. 


Pakistan minister orders measures to ease port congestion, speed up sugar and cement handling

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Pakistan minister orders measures to ease port congestion, speed up sugar and cement handling

  • Meeting in Islamabad reviewed congestion at Port Qasim and its impact on export shipments
  • Ports directed to enforce first-come, first-served berthing and penalize unnecessary delays

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Saturday directed authorities to streamline sugar and cement operations at Port Qasim after reports of severe congestion caused by the slow unloading of sugar consignments disrupted export activities.

The government has been working to ease port bottlenecks that have delayed shipments and raised logistics costs for exporters, particularly in the cement and clinker sectors. The initiative is part of a broader effort to improve operational efficiency and align port management with national trade and logistics priorities.

“Improving operational efficiency is vital to prevent port congestion, which can cause delays, raise costs, and disrupt the supply chain,” Chaudhry told a high-level meeting attended by senior officials from the maritime and commerce ministries, port authorities and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan.

The meeting was informed that sugar was being unloaded at a rate below Port Qasim’s potential capacity. The minister instructed the Port Qasim Authority to optimize discharge operations in line with its daily capacity of about 4,000 to 4,500 tons.

Participants also reviewed directives from the Prime Minister’s Office calling for up to 60 percent of sugar imports to be redirected to Gwadar Port to ease the load on Karachi terminals.

Officials said all vessels at Port Qasim and Karachi Port would now be berthed on a first-come, first-served basis, with penalties to be applied for unnecessary delays.

The TCP was told to improve operational planning and coordinate vessel arrivals more closely with port authorities.

Chaudhry commended the engagement of all participants and said consistent adherence to performance standards was essential to sustaining port efficiency and preventing a recurrence of logistical disruptions.